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Topic: Well, for better or worse... (Read 1967 times) previous topic - next topic

Well, for better or worse...

Well for better or worse, I pulled the trigger and am now the proud owner of the '97 U320 from MOT!  I want to thank Brett for helping me with the inspection, and Mel at MOT for putting up with my fence sitting, as this was an agonizing decision for me.  I am still having stuff done, so I will not be picking it up for a couple of weeks.  I am sure I will be asking a lot of questions here as I learn the coach, and work on my projects that I have planned.  I am not a total neophyte to motor homes as I am moving up from a pretty nice little '99 Safari Trek, but this Beast is a whole other machine!  Any way, my name is Mike Brady, I live in the Missouri Ozarks, and I will welcome your comments and suggestions to the questions that I will have in the future.

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #1 –
Congrats and welcome to the "family"!

Michelle

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #2 –
Fantastic. Great to have you onboard.  When we bought our first Foretravel I asked so many questions thought I would be kicked off the board... :)) Luckily we have great people who have a lot of patience.  Enjoy your time in Nac, tour the factory, sign up for Foretravel Motorcade (Beverly @ factory). Plan your first trip...

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #3 –
Welcome aboard from another 97 320 owner. They are amazing rigs for sure.

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #4 –
Congratulations and welcome to the forum, there is a wealth of knowledge here

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #5 –
Mike,
I'll stop in at MOT tomorrow to get to know you and answer whatever questions you have that I can help with.  Congratulations and welcome aboard.
Peter

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #6 –
Mike, are you back at MOT now?  Mel and I visited today, he and Keith said oil analysis, etc. went good.  But I understood they had some things to get ready for you.  Maybe I misunderstood.

mike

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #7 –
Welcome!!
Feel free to ask any questions.  This forum has been a great resource for us and many other lucky Foretravel owners.  Enjoy your new ride:)      Bob and Faith

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #8 –
I had to go on down to the Gulf for two weeks, so I won't be picking up the coach until mid June. New tires, trans fluid replacement, wheel lube, new toilet.
 

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #9 –
Welcome Mike, I am sure that you will find a wealth of info here.  Looks like there is a group of you in MO, you will have to have a get together.
Gary B

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #10 –
Mike, When you get back home here in the Ozarks and have some time to visit send me a PM. And welcome to the Foreforum

        Rick

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #11 –
Welcome to the forum. I think one of the greatest strengths of this forum is that Foretravel did not make a zillion different models and sizes so that here, among a relatively few people, you can find someone with almost exactly the same coach you have. This means that they can go take a photograph of something to help guide you to the adjustment or repair or lubrication point. Or pictures of an upgrade that they did that will make it easier for you.

Having this resource does reduce some of the normal stress of buying a complex mechanical and electrical device that's 15 years old.

Craig

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #12 –
Welcome to the Foretravel community. Many safe and wonderful travels to you. We will be coming through Kansas City in a couple of months ourselves.

Mark Z

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #13 –
Seems like a small club here.

I bought the same year and model two months ago.

A comparison list from the new owners of this model might be helpful to all.

Bob

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #14 –
97 models had lots of great upgrades!

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #15 –
Mike, welcome to the Foretravel family. The 97 is arguably one of the two most reliable years that Foretravel built. At least that's what I have been told by several of the technicians at Foretravel. I think you made a wise choice and will enjoy your new coach for many years to come.

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #16 –
Kent, and others that touched on the 1997s, IF this does not exist, perhaps someone would start a topic thread on the  1997 coaches?  Those seem a very popular era, well made and regarded.

Recall that I began one on the 1999 - 2001 series because it seemed to me there was some commonality in that series.  I have gotten a number of PMs of thanks for the thread and especially some good information to add.  The only difficulty I have had was going back and including/updating key topics enumerated in the original list.  I wanted to put them there that future readers could see it all in one list.  At one time I could Modify the list but that closes is time, so later Michelle or Barry made the additions for me and that is just as good.

(See Discussion Forum, "Information Share, 1999-2001")

I do not know the timeframe of enough similarity of years.  The 1996 - 1998s appear very similar to me.  IF that would be the right span, you could put in the list key similarities and difference (Peter Martin told me one just today on the bulkheads for the 1998s).  THus a buyer, or present owners, might have a list of topics to check, things to learn. 

But, it is easy to think of work for others!  Mike 

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #17 –
I did a knowledge search the hard way when I first found this great site.

I found all the similar owners and read every one of their posts in reverse order. ,older first.

A member search keyed to the year of the coach would eliminate missing any owners.

The similar year would be very helpful for the older website and this ones search function.

Nothing like someone who has already done the repairs and upgrades.

I have already done quite a bit to my 97 u320 and the things I have fixed would be applicable to most similar coaches I would think.

Wheel seal was worn out at 100k as an example....

Bob

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #18 –
One of the problems I encountered is I can not find any history on this coach.  FOT did have some service info but would not let know what was done.  This was before I actually bought the coach, so I don't know if they will release this info to me now that I am the owner.  So, before I pick it it up, I have put 6 new tires on it, synthetic trans oil change with filters, engine oil change with filter, fuel filters, brake lube and adjustment, generator service with filters, aux air pump filter change, and air dryer filter change.  Let's see, did I miss anything!  Oh yea, new toilet!
Hopefully, this will get me down the road for awhile...

Re: Well, for better or worse...

Reply #19 –
No differential oil change?  Now that you own the coach, FT will print out their full service history if asked.  Talk to your service writer.